Proverbs 14:1 "The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down."
It is my hope that this blog will help me strive harder to be a wise woman in the "building of my house". If you happen to stop by and leave with a bit of encouragement as well, to God be the glory. Live wise in Him!

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Monday, October 4, 2010

Phew, I do believe dust settled on the keyboards while I was away.(just a lame excuse for the fact that I failed to dust before we flew out to California this past Tuesday.)

Our trip went well, except for the 4am wake-up (on both ends of the trip), and perhaps the 2 hour lay-over in Chicago that grew to FIVE hours (thank goodness for the blessing of a large, comfortable employee lounge). Considering that we fly stand-by, I'd sum it up as routine. No bumps.No cancellations.No insurmountable obstacles.To quote Timon and Pumbaa, "Hakuna Matata." Means, "No worries."

S-C-R-A-T-C-H!

Let's back up on that last one. No worries? Um,....I need to be honest here.The truth is, flying does make me a bit, just a bit (I promise) worried.

Sheesh, you'd think it wouldn't. I grew up in the airline industry. My father worked for American Airlines until his retirement, as did my two uncles. I myself worked in the industry for 14 years, 3 airlines, and 4 different cities.As a 23 year old living alone and working in San Francisco, having moved out there on my own from Cleveland, I hardly gave a thought to travel safety and often took the 4½ flight back and forth between the two cities.

But then,...things changed. I got older and wiser. More aware that the world is often not a safe place.People can give their hearts to anything, even evil.September 11th happened.And I am now a mother, fierce as a bear in my desire to protect my children.

So when we fly these days, I have my children to think about as well.And I'm faced with the reality that, as I think about so many travel related scenarios, I sometimes struggle with worry.Not an overwhelming "all-out" struggle, but an uncomfortable struggle just the same.

As I sit here and think about it, fear and control go hand-in-hand. Because of fear, one can struggle for control.Some actually use fear to control.Some end up fearful when they realize they've lost control.Yep, fear and control definitely tend to run in the same circles.And fear begins as a seed planted in the mind.It is not of God, but rather the venom of Satan, a lie.

So I am not about to let my concerns about flying become anything more than a tinge of personal discomfort.

But, how to battle that seed of fear and win?

How?

For me, it begins with prayerful surrender."Father, today I choose to be strong and courageous, to acknowledge that you are with me and will not forsake me."Sound a bit like Deuteronomy 31:6? One of the many benefits of hiding scripture in our hearts is being able to speak its truth and power into our lives in the very moments we need it.I accept that I am not in control and never really have been.Not of others. Not of an airplane. Not of the very number of my days.

But, oh the comfort of being able to call on the one who is in control, my Heavenly Father, the God and creator of the universe (Gen 1:1).

I also have the power of willful submission.The bible says, in James 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."I can't stop Satan from trying to make my mind a battlefield, but I can decide to resist him. I can refuse his lies.

Your turn. Where has Satan aimed and hit his mark? What fear has he seeded in your mind today?Will you allow it to take root?If not, then how will you battle it?

Consider this.You are God's beloved. He calls you His treasure (Deuteronomy 26:18).Search the scriptures so that, like myself, you can truly grow in the knowledge and confidence of God's overwhelming love for you.You can then rest in Him, your strong tower. Your place of safety and safe surrender.And again, in the words of Timon and Pumbaa, Hakuna Matata.Dig in and discover for yourself the peace that surpasses all understanding.

The Bible, God's very word, my one true source of comfort, in flight and in life.